4. Must be Present to Win
As the green blaze of the third rule still glowed in the vision, I sat up, trying to regain control. I was excited and seeking my trusty pen and journal. When before I can clear my eyes, MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN damn near bullies its way through my mind and I am physically taken over again. Seriously…bold, towering letters rumble in a deep voice and they echo, shake and get in my face. It was like an episode of sesame street animation busted into my head and took me hostage.
Huh. Whaddaya know about that? Unbidden, a direct Divine download, the Mabon Day Revelations: Must be present to win. Cute.
The Obvious: You have to be dogged in your determination to follow this path, because it is not suitable for everyone. It is neither glamorous, nor easy. It does not serve those who would wield the title to gain acclaim, nor control over others. When done with correct humility it does come with benefits for those brave enough to be fully present and make whatever sacrifices are required.
Show Up: This path demands that you keep showing up, every day, on all levels, for the rest of your life. Get up off your couch, stop wishing, stop bitching about your woes, stop bending over and taking that beating. Get yourself forthwith to the crossroads and DO THE WORK. Know what you need, apply the fires of your passion, dare to overcome all obstacles, and then be so fully awake in wonderment that the Universe is rendered fluid and saturated in miracles.
Wake up: Each exquisite moment is a gift not to be squandered; fully present in the joy and the pain, the abundance and the lack, even the love AND the fear of a lack of love. All of it courageously undertaken, because they hone your wisdom and power to propel you forward in your evolution.
Be the Warrior Witch: You have to put your keister where your values lie. Witchcraft is a PRAXIS: protest, sit-in, march, vote, armor up, take up the magickal weapons, stare down the Balrog (4) to defend the boundaries. To be a Witch is to seek the truth within, then live it through every breath. You have to confront your fears and tackle them into submission. No matter what the desire or issue, it can only be solved by being fully present, listening, observing, engaging compassionately with people in person, especially when there is a conflict to resolve or a need to be met.
People of good conscience cannot continue to knuckle under to the “witch burners” among us. Nor can we blithely ignore the divisive behavior of those who would sully our good standing through malevolent behavior.
“With no fool a season spend, nor be counted as their friend.”(1)
“Haters” of any stripe cannot simultaneously claim to be a witch and be taken seriously; defrock them; warlock them.(2) If their magickal weapon of choice is ye’ olde knife between the shoulder blades, then they are not a witch. They are a fool and if you do nothing, you are guilty by association.
Like English philosopher Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Going Gandalf: Through my years with Aphrodite, she’s emphasized repeatedly that if someone is violating any of her Divine Love Conditions, then they are doing harm, and that harm will resonate outward by orders of magnitude. They are the problem, and it is now the duty of any responsible witch, teacher, friend, neighbor, citizen, soldier, officer, social worker, etc., to stop them from doing this harm.
The Goddess works through both the spanking and the kiss and as her priestess I am happy to deliver both. You can be gracious and merciful even when you need to crack a few heads, because today I am loving you by saying NO, and YOU SHALL NOT PASS whatever boundary is being trespassed. The wise Witch knows when to stand in their truth, living authentically, yet doing so with ego properly aligned with highest Divine Will.
How do I navigate “harm none” as an agent of Divine Love? I bind harmful actions, and diminish their effect. I honor that wounds drive the assholery of others, so it does no benefit to seek vengeance on a wounded person who is behaving badly. I send Reiki into the wounds, and ease the dis-ease of heart and mind. I help to defeat fears, and secure resources, restore any of the Love Conditions that may be the root of these baneful actions.
Then I protect those who would be affected by the malevolent reek of those rogue beings until such time that they learn their healing lessons. I step back in peace and “hold the space,” centered in compassion. This way we can dismiss the drama and not engage in histrionics that cannot serve any good. There is only one way I intend to expend my energy: effectively.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In